'People's Convoy' Arrives in Washington, DC
Summary from the AllSides News Team
On Sunday, hundreds of American truckers, along with other vehicles, slowed down traffic as they drove around the Capital Beltway highway in the Washington, D.C. area.
The "People's Convoy" stretched more than two miles and circled the Beltway twice, but did not bring traffic to a standstill. Many of the vehicles had American flags, and people crowded onto overpasses holding signs and their own American flags. In addition, convoy co-organizer Brian Brase says he plans to bring members of the protest group to meet with lawmakers on Tuesday. The convoy comes after similar demonstrations by truckers in Canada, known as the Freedom Convoy, which protested vaccine requirements to cross the Canadian border and caused disruptions in downtown Ottawa for several weeks.
Coverage from left- and center-rated outlets often highlighted how several hundred National Guard troops were activated ahead of the convoy's arrival. Reports from right-rated sources focused more on the convoy's participants and supporters.
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Left
U.S. trucker convoy arrives and slows traffic on the Beltway near D.C.American truckers and other drivers, calling themselves the "People's Convoy," are slowing traffic on Sunday as they drive around the Capital Beltway, a highway that encircles Washington, D.C.
What's happening: The group is emulating the "Freedom Convoy," which saw truckers in Canada blocking the streets of Ottawa for weeks and jamming several U.S.-Canada border crossings, in protest of COVID-19 health restrictions.
The Canadian convoy also sparked similar trucker protests throughout Europe, including in the Netherlands and France.
Driving the news: The U.S. convoy left Southern California last week and has been making its way across the country.
The...
From the Right
Slow-moving ‘People’s Convoy’ completes two loops around BeltwayA large group of truck drivers who object to COVID-19 mandates drove two loops around the beltway surrounding Washington, Sunday, deliberately moving slowly to impact traffic and make their feelings known to lawmakers in the nation’s capitol.
People crowded onto overpasses, waving at the “People’s Convoy” and holding signs and American flags. Within the convoy, there were tractor-trailers with horns blaring and some recreational vehicles and pickup trucks occasionally going by, mixed with the normal traffic on Interstate 495 in Silver Springs, Maryland.
The convoy was moving normally – albeit...
From the Left
'Trucker convoy' drives laps around D.C. BeltwayThe U.S. offshoot of the Canadian "Freedom Convoy" reached the nation's capital Sunday.
The trucker-led convoy group, which was organized on pro-Trump and anti-vaccination channels on the Telegram messaging app, drove around the Capital Beltway, which surrounds metropolitan Washington, D.C. Their plan was to circle the interstate twice and then return to Hagerstown, Maryland, where they gathered Saturday night, to regroup.
Authorities in and around the capital were on alert ahead of the convoy’s arrival. Last month, the Defense Department authorized activating up to 700 unarmed National Guard members to assist with traffic control.
Inspired by...
AllSides Picks
April 22nd, 2024
April 21st, 2024
April 20th, 2024
April 20th, 2024